Over the past week or so I noticed this pretty button on various blogs and read all about the new-to-me "You make my day" mention. I have enjoyed following links and discovering or re-discovering blogs written by knitters and other crafters and adding new bookmarks to my never-ending list. The cherry on the cake was being told by Luni that my blog is one of those that make her day. Thank you! I am blushing nearly as brightly as my reddest knits.
Writing a blog is the closest to sending a message in a bottle as I have ever done. Anyone who claims they are writing a blog strictly as a journal for themselves and with no thought of readers isn't being candid. Words, subject headings, and of course photographs all take some thinking that involves a potential reader, or three. I love the mystery of it all -- how we readers follow our fancy from link to link, acquiring routines and fresh discoveries as we go. It took me a long time to make the jump from strictly reading to throwing my own message-in-a-bottle out there, and I am so glad I did.
So many blogs make my day that I decided for this exercise to list five which I haven't gotten around to adding to my links yet even though I read them addictively. Here we go:
Ruth designs her own sweaters, takes her readers through the plotting and sketching stages, then knits at the speed of light and models her perfect FOs beautifully.
Elinor knits beautiful sweaters for herself and others, including a whole wardrobe of adorable Debbie Bliss sweaters for her daughter. Her new fair-isle vest is pure eye-candy. Her blog's title should be my manifesto, or maybe my next new year's resolution.
Mrs Lear is the nom de plume of a local blogger (I recognize various locales featured on her blog) who is accomplished in many crafts in addition to her inventive and pretty elaborate knitting projects. I always enjoy checking to see what's marinating in the Runcible Bin (wrong metaphor, I know; would "percolating" work any better?).
Sophia makes lovely, fresh knitwear, including old classics like EZ's Baby Surprise jackets with an unerring sense of color. Of course you'd expect this much harmony from a classical musician.
I discovered Ari's blog thanks to the afghans For Afghans knit-and-crochet-along blog . She is a very prolific knitter who makes the brightest, most charming children's hats and mittens and shares her lovely patterns for all of us knitters with a cause.
Speaking of knitting for a cause, I have an FO to report. It went so fast that I never really blogged about it until today, when I finally wove all the ends and snapped a few pictures.
After the long-long-log-cabin blanket was finished last month, I celebrated not having to knit miles of garter stitch anymore. Then the withdrawal pains started. The remedy was obvious; I cast on for a garter stitch blanket on the bias, to be finished in time for the current a4A drive (that would be February 29th for the motivated yet procrastinating). Since I had decided to make a dent into the most precious part of my stashed yarns, namely, purchases from Stitches past, I decided to take a deep breath and start now, with 12 skeins of optim processed wool in a gorgeous garnet color bought back in 2006.
Optim wool is merino wool that has been processed in a way that enhances its softness and its luster. This yarn is one of the cushiest I have ever knitted, especially doubled as I did here. Originally, I had planned to use it for a cardigan, but I decided that the very soft and slightly loose plies would be better suited to a blanket. My 12 skeins of Jewels DK all went into this blanket, knitted on a size 8 circular. As I was going to run out of yarn before reaching the last corner, I found another Optim wool in the stash, this one a pink worsted from another manufacturer (ball band long lost, I'm afraid).
I had originally planned to add an edging a la Inge's blanket but, on final inspection, I feel the bright stripes are wild enough. I love it when necessity, the mother of invention, works out so well, necessity being my commitment to knit my stash down in 2008.
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